Royal Baby On The Way: Kate Middleton In Labor

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the National Review of Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, near London April 21, 2013.
Reuters

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the National Fishing Heritage Centre in Grimsby, in northern England March 5, 2013.
Reuters

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, smiles as she leaves after visiting the Naomi House children's hospice in Sutton Scotney, southern England April 29, 2013.
Reuters

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton at the National Fishing Heritage Centre in Grimsby, in northern England in March. The Duchess is reportedly staying with family pending the birth of her first child later this month.
Reuters

A group of women pose with Duchess of Cambridge masks outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, where Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is expected to give birth, in London July 18, 2013. The first child of Prince William and his wife Kate is due in July, with the couple saying they have no idea of the sex of the royal baby, who will be third in line to the British throne.
REUTERS/Paul Hackett

Previous

1
of
5

Next

The royal baby is on the way!

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton went into labor on Monday at the private Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. The hospital is the same place where Princess Diana delivered Prince William in 1982 followed by Prince Harry in 1984, which reportedly costs 10,000 euros ($12,870) per day.

"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted this morning to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London in the early stages of labour. The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge," the palace said in a statement.

After the child is born, the Palace will hang an official proclamation bearing the Palace insignia to inform the world that the heir to the throne was born. The notice directly from the hospital will be hung on a golden easel for all to see outside the gates of Buckingham Palace, The Daily Mail reported.

Palace officials will keep with the tradition, rather than send blasts via email or Twitter, in the same way Prince William’s birth was announced to highlight the importance of the birth of the royal baby.

“We wanted to retain some of the theatre of the notice,” a Palace spokesperson said before the birth. “It is quite important to us that this is done properly and with the degree of dignity that the event demands. This is the birth of a child who will be in line to the throne. It is a rare occasion and it is nice to be able to do it with some historical precedence.”

The birth of the royal baby will not be made public until the Queen and other members of the royal family are briefed first. The Daily Mail reported that William will call the Queen himself first, even before his own father, when the baby is born. Prince William may even speak on the steps of the hospital to inform the public that the baby has arrived.

“While it is a deeply personal and private event, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge realize this is a time of national celebration and that there will be vast interest in the baby. They realize many people will want to share in their happiness,” a spokesman said.

The official title for the baby, announced earlier this month by the Palace, was chosen by Queen Elizabeth herself and will be “His or Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess of Cambridge," a Palace spokesperson said.

The royal baby will be third in line for the throne, behind its grandfather, Charles, Prince of Wales, and its father, Prince William. Prince Harry is now pushed to fourth in line and if the Duke and Duchess have any more children, Harry’s place will fall even further down the line.

The British government ruled in October 2011 that, despite the gender of any future royalty, female heirs to the throne will have equal rights as their male siblings. Before the ruling, male heirs took precedence in succession over females. Queen Elizabeth II, however, was crowned in 1953 only because she didn't have any male siblings.

In a monumental event watched by millions, William and Kate married in April 2011 at the Westminster Abbey. Middleton wore a white lace dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen as the duo exchanged vows and officially became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news."

"The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum," the Palace spokesperson continued. "As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter."